Palm Centro

May bagong smartphone ang Palm na kakalunsad lang sa US kahapon — ang Palm Centro. Sa halagang $99, ito ang pinakamagaan at pinakamaliit na mobile phone ng Palm.

Magagamit ito sa pagtawag, pagti-text, pagsu-surf ng Web, pag-a-IM, pagpapadala at pagtanggap ng email, at pati sa panonood ng video sa YouTube. Mayroon ito contacts (address book), calendar, full-color touch screen at QWERTY keyboard. May bluetooth din ito.

Astig, di ba? Pero may catch.

CDMA ang ginagamit nitong network. Ibig sabihin, hindi puwedeng gamitin sa mga pangunahing networks dito sa Pilipinas, na GSM ang ginagamit. Hintayin na lang natin na maglabas sila ng GSM version.

Eto ang unang bahagi ng press release mula sa BusinessWire:

NEW YORK, Sep 27, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Designed for individuals and traditional mobile phone users looking for a better way to manage their professional and social lives, Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM) and Sprint (NYSE:S) today introduced the Palm(R) Centro(TM) smart device, at $99.99.(1) With voice, text, IM, email, web, contact and calendar capabilities, a full-color touch screen and full keyboard, Centro brings Palm simplicity and organization to customers who want to stay connected with co-workers, friends and family.(2) Centro will be exclusive through Sprint in the United States for 90 days and is available in onyx black or ruby red.

With Centro, Sprint customers can quickly and easily text co-workers and friends, manage email, keep track of their schedules, check stock quotes, watch videos on YouTube(TM), keep current on the latest news, capture and share pictures, browse restaurant reviews on Yelp(TM), and get directions on Google(TM) Maps–all in one small, compact phone.(2) Centro operates on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network — the fastest and largest national mobile broadband network — giving customers a fast and flexible experience with entertainment and resources on the go.

Fresh Design for New Customers

With a fun, new compact design, Centro is the smallest and lightest Palm phone to date. Centro has a modern, stylish look that feels comfortable in the hand, pocket or evening purse.

Centro was designed as a great phone, messaging, and organizational device, and is incredibly easy to use. It allows users to easily connect with friends, family and co-workers by voice, email or text. And with its full keyboard, Centro makes it easy to quickly and efficiently type text messages and respond to emails, communicating complete thoughts and ideas. Since Centro comes with the Palm OS(R), it offers all of the great organizer functionality that Palm is renowned for, such as a detailed and integrated Contacts list. Also, the simple and handy calendar makes it easier to manage increasingly busy lives, whether it’s juggling business meetings or keeping track of school activities.

As the newest member of the Palm family, Centro is expected to attract new users to the smartphone category. According to IDC, the smartphone market is shifting to the mass market; U.S. smartphone shipments will grow from 13.8 million in 2007 to 74.4 million in 2011.(3)

“Palm Centro has the power of a broadband smartphone at the price of a standard 12-key phone,” said Ed Colligan, president and chief executive officer of Palm, Inc. “People looking to have all their contacts and calendar at the touch of a button, plus YouTube streaming videos and the Internet can now get it in a small, cool design with the trademark Palm ease of use. If you’re thinking about stepping up to a smartphone, the Palm Centro should be your choice.”

Read more at BusinessWire.